Brassiere



y 1940- H. v. MALNICK 2,202,058

BRASSIERE Filed March 5, 1938 Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIERE Helen V. Malnlck, Chicago, 111. Application March 3, 1938, Serial No. 193,725

8 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) This invention relates to improvements in women's garments, and more particularly to brassires and related breast supporting forms.

The objects of the invention include the provision of breast supporting forms which support each breast individually and firmly with resilience between and around each breast to insure correct and natural breast support and posture, and effect a proper natural appearance.

One of the objects is the provision of a brassiere in which the breast supporting forms are adapted to fit snugly and firmly to the body of the wearer while permitting unlimited freedom of movement and automatic self-adjustment of the brassiere during various movements of the body thereby creating a healthful and much needed support with correct yielding features resulting in free adjustment necessary to normal body movement.

A further object is to provide a brassire which is more flexible and yielding than prior devices of this type, and yet one which will fit snugly and not interfere with free movement of the body.

A further object is the provision of a brassire arranged to force to a desired position and to defin ely separate the full and pendulous bust to a normal position and give the full flabby tissue a firm and smooth appearance.

The device also provides a free swinging movement in accordance with the body movement.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the central portion of the brassiere and illustrates a construction which provides great flexibility without distortion of the breast supporting portions;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the connecting means illustrated in Fig. 2 and is taken on a line substantially conforming to line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment in which the elastic portions and other securing means are of a slightly different type, and arranged to provide the added support necessary .for heavier bodies and still maintain the relative flexibility of the lighter garment; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational of a slightly modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, comprises two breast supporting'members or cups I.

These cups may be formed of any suitable flexible 'also edged with a similar folded elastic tape 9 fabric and are preferably substantially triangular in shape, as shown, and preferably constructed to provide the so-called modern" bust cup. The cups have their inner edges spaced as shown, and are each preferably provided with an elastic seg- 5 ment forming an integral part of the pocket adjacent the center line of the brassire. To the outer side of each pocket is secured, by stitching or otherwise, as indicated at 3, a comparatively wide strap or band 4. One of these bands may 10 be provided with an elastic strap 5 forming a continuation thereof and provided with a suitable buckle whereby the bands may be secured together to form a belt to retainthe brassiere in place.

The lower side of each breast cup is edged with an elastic tape 6 forming a binding which may be folded over the edge of the material forming the breast cup, and this tape may extend along the bottom of the cup and upwardly between the breast cups and across the upper edge of the opposite cup. The upper portion to may be secured in the same manner to the upper angular portion of the opposite cup as illustrated. The tape 6 is secured by stitching andmay extend from the upper edge apex of the cup to form a comparatively short strap 6b.

Shoulder straps are connected to the bands 4 in the usual manner and are arranged to extend over the shoulders and be secured to the straps 6b by means of suitable buckles 8. The straps are secured to the bust cups in such a manner as to permit expansion of the straps under tension. The upper and outer angular edge of the cup is which may be attached in the same manner as the straps 6.

The straps 6 cross at the center line of the brassire as indicated by the reference character Ill. However, these straps preferably are not secured together but are free to permit movement and resilience in any direction. In order to retain the central unsecured portion of the straps substantially in positon, a small loop or ring ll of suitable fabric is passed around the straps as indicated in Fig. 3. It will be apparent that this construction provides flexibility in all directions and automatic adjustment to conform to the movements of the wearer.

The elastic tapes 6 and 6a are folded in opposite directions and the folded portions may be reversed at ID to form a continuous folded tape if desired. However, in the embodiment shown the portion 8 is folded in one direction as shown, while the portion 6a is folded in the opposite direction. These portions are connected by means of short lengths of resilient or non-resilient tape or cloth l2 whereby the portions 6 and to form continuous strips.

In Fig. 4 the construction is similar in all respects to that illustrated in Fig. 1, except that the lower edges of the two bust cups are connected by means of a suitable elastic strap l2 and this strap is secured to the loop ll by means of an upwardly extending elastic strap l3, which may form a continuation of the material of the loop II. This strap 13 maybe stitched to the loop II or may form a continuation of the material thereof.

Fig. 5 is constructed in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, with the exception that flat unfolded elastic tape it is used for edging instead of folded tape as previously described. This flat elastic tape is secured to the bust cups by socalled zig-zag stitching as illustrated at l5. In this case it is unnecessary to use the connecting members I2, as the tapes may be continuous elastic strips.

It will be apparent. that in the structures disclosed each shoulder strap assists in resiliently supporting the lower edge of the opposite cup. This is a very desirable feature.

Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is desired therefore that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A brassiere comprising spaced breast cups each comprising a fabric section shaped to breast formation, and elongated elastic tapes crossed between said cups, each tape extending along and being attached to the upper margin of one cup and extending along and being attached to the lower margin of the other cup.

2. A brassiere comprising spaced breast cups each comprising a fabric section shaped to breast formation, elongated elastic tapes crossed between said cups, each tape extending attached to the upper margin of one cup and extending along and being attached to the lower margin of the other cup, and a fabric loop around the intersection of the crossed tapes.

3. A brassiere comprising spaced breast cups each comprising a fabric section shaped to breast formation, crossed elastic tape between said cups,

moaoss each tape being attached to the upper margin of one cup and the lower margin of the other cup, a fabric loop around the intersection of the crossed tapes. and an elastic strap connecting the lower edges of said cups, and a supporting strap connecting the center of said strap and said loop.

4. A brassiere comprising spaced breast supporting cups each cup comprising a fabric section shaped to breast formation and a pair of elastic tape edgings each extending along and secured across the top margin of one cup and the bottom of the other cup and having free portions crossing between said cups.

5. A brassiere comprising spaced breast supporting cups each cup comprising a fabric section shaped to breast formation, a pair of elastic tape edgings each secured across the top of one cup and the bottom of the other cup and having free portions crossing between said cups and an elastic fabric segment forming a part of each cup adjacent in substantial horizontal alignment with the intersection of said tape.

6. A brassiere comprising spaced fabric bust cups, and two elastic tapes each folded over and binding a portion of the upper edge of a cup and folded over in the opposite direction and binding the lower edge of the opposite cup, said tapes crossing centrally between said cups, a material length of said tapes being free from said cups adjacent the crossing point.

7. A brassiere comprising spaced fabric bust cups, two elastic tapes each folded over and binding a portion of the upper edge of a cup and folded over in the opposite direction and binding the lower edge of the opposite cup, said tapes crossing centrally between said cups, a material length of said tapes being free from said cups adjacent the crossing point, and an elastic segment forming a material portion of each cup between the secured portions of said tapes and adjacent said crossing point.

8. A brassire comprising a pair of spaced fabric bust cups, the upper margin of each cup tapering upwardly to an apex substantially on the' vertical axial plane of its corresponding cup, 9. pair of crossed elastic tapes each binding the inner angular edge of a cup and the bottom edge of the opposite cup, belt means attached to the outer edges of said cups for securing the cups in desired lateral spaced relation, and shoulder straps extending substantially from the said angle apex to a rear portion of said belt means. HELEN V. MALNICK. 

